TWELVE THOUSAND BOMBERS

Evening Star, Issue 23124, 25 November 1938, Page 9

TWELVE THOUSAND BOMBERS

AMERICA'S CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME PURELY FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright NEW YOHK, November 23. Tixo United Press Washington correspondent says officials of virtually every major aeroplane manufacturing company in the United States have begun drafting privately reports for President Roosevelt in connection with a vast construction programme designed to provide the American fighting forces with 12,000 first-lino pursuing bombing pianos in three to five years. The United States has 3,500 first-line planes. At the present cost of building, the remainder are estimated at 650,000,000d01. New airports and other necessary facilities and personnel will swell the ultimate cost to 1,500,000,OOOdol. The Assistant Secretary for War (Mr Johnson) said that the department was also proceeding apace with an educational and experimental programme to encourage some 245 plants, which are now not equipped for that purpose, to manufacture a large number pf munitions items which the country vitally needs in the event of emergency. It is believed that the Government will probably make loans to enable factories to increase production, not only of aircraft, but of other essential munitions. Air Johnson insisted that “ the United States should build up an air force which would be equal to or surpass any other in the world, but for purely defensive purposes.”